


The Damned and the Divine

by DrFaustus



Category: Hades (Video Game 2018)
Genre: 1920s, Alternate Universe - 1920s, Alternate Universe - Gangsters, Alternate Universe - Historical, Alternate Universe - Mob, Bootlegging, F/F, Gang Violence, Historical Accuracy, Historical References, Implied/Referenced Drug Use, In Character, M/M, Mutual Pining, Prostitution, Slow Burn, Unrequited Love
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-08
Updated: 2021-02-08
Packaged: 2021-03-13 08:41:03
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,125
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29275617
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DrFaustus/pseuds/DrFaustus
Summary: With prohibition in full swing the New York city mob leader known only as ‘Hades’ is set to make 1926 his best year yet. His loyal gang of criminal accomplices, known only as The Underworld’ seek to silence any last enemies they have before completely taking over the scene. No one is safe from Hades's all encompassing ambition, not even his son and heir, a man only known as ‘Zagreus’. When an old friend of his gets unwillingly roped into the family business everything begins to quickly spiral out of control. Meanwhile, the top FBI agent only referred to as ‘Zeus’ is gunning to take the organization down, no matter the cost.
Relationships: Dusa/Megaera (Hades Video Game), Thanatos/Zagreus (Hades Video Game)
Comments: 18
Kudos: 30





	The Damned and the Divine

**Author's Note:**

  * For [GioseleLouise](https://archiveofourown.org/users/GioseleLouise/gifts).



> It feels so nice to finally sit down and bang this one out! I’ve been kicking around this idea for absolutely ages. An absolutely massive thank you to Kara, without whom I would be a useless unmotivated blob.

There was something rather intoxicating about breaking the law, and to Hades it was a drug far more powerful than any that could be bought, or sold, on the street.

He should know of course. After all he, and his gang sold them all. 

Smirking to himself as he walked along, he took note of the street bustling with law abiding citizens. 

How terribly dull, he thought to himself, keeping his head down. 

Despite the thirteen thousand dollar brand new Rolls Royce that sat in his garage, and the driver more than willing to take him anywhere he needed, he had decided to walk. It was a beautiful day, and besides, he wanted to make sure not to draw any unwanted attention to himself. 

He even wore one of his newest custom made wool suits, and from the glances he was getting from the ladies, it was indeed tailored to perfection. 

Unwanted attention from the police, he clarified, as he eyed the women back appreciatively. For Hades, attention was always enjoyed, most especially if it could get him a doll in between the sheets. The only time attention was ever undesired was when it came from the cops, who were always particularly desperate to pinch him. 

Keeping an eye out for them, he continued along down the street.

New York bustled around him, the city filled with life, seemingly always in a perpetual rush. Children chased each other around while screeching, women argued with grocers, and drugstore cowboys hung out on corners desperately trying to pick up women. 

These people, however, operated in the blissful light of day. 

Glancing out of the corner of his eye he could see his own boys lurking in the shadows of the alleyways, ready to peddle their highly illegal, and morally questionable wares. Catching their bosses’ eye they nodded to him, reminding him that was indeed the one in charge of all that lived in the shadows.

Yes, Hades thought to himself, this was how it should be. 

Seeing his target up ahead he reigned his thoughts in. Pulling out his pocket watch he checked the time, it was a few minutes until six o’clock. 

Perfect, he thought to himself.

If running a massive criminal organization had taught him anything, it was that timing was everything. It was the line drawn between freedom and incarceration, between profit and loss, and all too often, even the line between life and death.

Glancing around, he entered the mortuary, pulling the door closed behind him before locking it. 

“Sorry sir, it’s past regular business hours. If you have a body to claim the clerk has left already, you’ll have to come back tomorrow,” a young man said.

He was wearing a white lab coat over a simple suit, and he didn’t even appear to be paying attention. Instead he was looking at some notes on a clipboard, not even bothering to look up when Hades had entered.

“I believe it’s the perfect time, actually,” Hades said, his voice was deep with a sharp edge to it.

The young man at last looked up, his eyes going wide as he took in the other man’s large, imposing figure. 

“Hades.”

The mortuary was silent, and one look around the small place told Hades that they were most likely alone. Still, it wouldn’t hurt to check, and he began to walk around the place as if he owned it, checking for any unwanted guests. 

“That is indeed what they call me. The question is what shall they call you,” he said, pausing to look over at the young man. 

“I’m sorry?”

“It’s your lucky day son. I’m here to offer you the opportunity of a lifetime,” he said his gaze unwavering.

The young man stayed silent, his mouth in a thin hard line.

“What do you make in a place like this anyways? Five, six thousand dollars a year tops? And for such a skilled, educated young man such as yourself, that hardly seems fair I think,” he said, resuming his search.

On the wall opposite the door hung several posters, but past that there was one small door that led to a small room that housed all of the bodies, as well as one simple grey table in the middle for dissections. 

The young man followed Hades into the room, alarm bells in his head going off.

“How did you know I was here,” the man said, trying, and failing to keep the anger from his voice.

“Nyx.” 

“My Mother told you I was here,” the young man said in disbelief.

“Not entirely, but you know the Underworld, everyone talks. I’ve developed a skill over the years, it’s called listening,” Hades said.

“I’ve told you all before, I want nothing to do with your criminal organization. What you’re doing is against the law and I want absolutely no part in it,” he emphasized.

Hades laughed, a hard cruel laugh that seemed to burst out of him. It was thunderous and uncontained, frightening in it’s unexpectedness.

The other man paled, and reached out to grab his nearby desk to steady himself.

“Did you really think this was me asking you?”

The young man said nothing, frozen to where he stood by a rather potent combination of shock and fear.

“You did, didn’t you? Your mother really paid all that money to send you away to private school only for you to come back more naive. What a shame,” Hades sneered.

Trying to shake himself from the fear that gripped him the young man pushed his shoulders back, taking on a more powerful stance. Determined not to let Hades win, he pushed on. 

“Why are you here, Hades,” the young man said.

“Apparently, you don’t listen either. I told you before I have an opportunity.”

“I don’t want your metaphorical golden apple,” he said, his voice deep and unwavering.

“And I told you I wasn’t asking,” he said, leaning in before pulling back his jacket pocket to reveal the pistol strapped to his side. 

Dread pulled in his gut at seeing the loaded weapon, and the young man could hear his heart beating in his ears, he could even feel it beating in his throat. He had heard rumors that Hades was taking over New York, but he had never thought he would be so brazen about it.

He chided himself for being so naive, for thinking it would be safe to come back. Suddenly, he desperately wished he had taken his mother’s warning more to heart. 

The cold dread quickly began to warm up, turning instead to a burning hatred. Hades had wrecked his mother’s life, and now he was going to ruin his as well.

“Get on with it then,” he spat out, feeling the rage within him growing. 

“I don’t know what I was expecting, afterall what normal person would want to be surrounded by corpses all day.”

Hades reached for his jacket pocket, causing the man to jump a bit, wary he might be pulling his gun on him.

“Relax will you, Gods, I just need a smoke,” Hades said, pulling out a pack of cigarettes.

Pulling one out of the pack he put it between his lips before lighting it, taking a long drag of his cigarette. He blew out the smoke leisurely, as if he had all the time in the world. The smoke hung between them for a few moments before Hades spoke again.

“This is the deal, the Underworld is growing. Soon we will be the gang running all of New York city, but we have to whack a few people to get there. Probably more than a few if I’m brutally honest. But that creates a real problem for us, New York is a city. It’s not like we have all this room to bury bodies and the Hudson is a pain in the fucking ass. As I’m sure you’re aware, bodies float and even cement shoes can’t hold ‘em down,” Hades explained before taking a long drag of his cigarette. 

“That’s why we need you,” he said, looking at the young man.

“You see, we need a way to dispose of all of the bodies without getting caught. Drugs and booze are easy enough, if the cops come, you snort it, you down it, whatever. But a body, a human body is another story, bodies can talk.”

Hades took another long drag of his cigarette, blowing out the smoke before continuing. 

“A body can tell you how it died, was it shot, beaten, or stabbed. If you leave a bag of cocaine on the street it can’t say anything, but a body can tell you exactly what happened and when.”

Despite working with human bodies all day everyday, the young man had never felt so nauseous talking about death before. For while he was used to dealing with the murder victim, he had little expirence in dealing with their killer.

“Now what we need is a way to dispose of bodies that won’t draw suspicion to us, which is where you come along. I’ve checked this place out, you have a crematorium, you’ve got plenty of John and Jane Does that get dumped here all the time. It’d be easy for another few bodies to sneak in, to make it into the crematorium and become nothing but a pile of ash. And the best thing about ash? It can’t talk.”

The young man felt wave after wave of emotions hitting him, from fear to anger to disgust they all rose within him, crashing down upon him with growing force. It felt unreal, like a terrible nightmare, only this time he knew it was real. 

He was going to be unwillingly drafted into the mob, despite his and mother’s best efforts to avoid such a fate.

“That’s how you’re going to help us, to ferry those wayward souls from one side to another, to help them find their final resting place so to speak. Do we understand each other?”

He nodded, unable to get any coherent thoughts out.

“Great, I thought we might. Now in exchange for your services, and sealed lips, I will give you an extra five thousand dollars a year provided, got it?”

He nodded again.

“Now the bodies, they won’t be able to talk after you’re done with them, which leaves just one loose end,” Hades said, flicking the ash off of his cigarette before taking another long drag.

“You,” he said, blowing out the smoke. 

The large man walked over to where he stood, his eyes taking on a sharp edge before he gripped the young man’s shoulder forcefully, pushing him up against a nearby wall. Then he positioned his forearm across his chest, holding him in place as his gaze turned feral. 

“Now fucking listen will you, you are not to say a word to anyone about anything. When my boys come by to drop the ‘cargo’ off you take it and you dispose of it? You got it? Because if I even hear the faintest of whispers, you’ll be the next one on that fucking table. I don’t care if you're Nyx’s son, I will rip you apart myself if I have to, are we clear?”

“Yes sir,” he wheezed out

“That’s much better now, isn’t it? And one more thing.”

He saw it happen before he felt it, almost as if time had slowed down. The cigarette had gone from between Hades lips to burning into his forearm. Hades held it there, the lit end to his forearm in what both seemed like milliseconds and minutes. When at last his feelings caught up with him, he began to scream, which was soon stifled by Hades hand over his mouth. It burned and tore and him, and he struggled to break free from the larger man’s grip to no avail.

“You smell your own flesh burning? This is to remind you, unlike everyone else in here you’re not dead. You are very much alive, because you can feel it can’t you? You feel that pain, that searing, burning feeling? It means you're alive. And if you ever fucking cross me you will end up here,” Hades hissed.

As soon as it began it was over, and Hades pushed him to the ground forcefully. 

Hades came to stand above the young man now laying in a fetal position on the ground. He took a long drag of his cigarette, just looking at him with a critical eye.

“You know there’s a tradition, when a new member joins the mob they get their own name to fit in around here. After all, we are called the Underworld for a reason. I think you’ll be called...Thanatos. You’ll be our God of Death.”

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you all enjoyed it! I really love comments, and do my best to respond to each and every one! I try to update regularly and comments definitely help motivate me to hit that publish button! :)


End file.
